Machine foe



UNITED STATES PATENT Trice.

HARRY A. INMAN, OF AMSTERDAM, NEN YORK.

MACHINE FOR APPLYiNG FLIES TO PAPER BOXES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,583, dated August25, 1896. Application filed April 20, 1896. Serial No. 588,254. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY A. INMAN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Amsterdam, in the county of Montgomery and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines forApplying Flies to Paper Boxes, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to a machine for applying paper and cloth flies, socalled, to boxes; and it consists, generally stated, in mechanism forsupporting a pile of flies, mechanism for guiding and depressing thebox, mechanism for pasting the inside of the box at or near its openedge, and mechanism whereby all of the operations are done by theoperation of a treadle or equivalent power.

Referirng to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates aperspeotive of themachine as a whole. Fig. 2 illustrates a detail of the gluing apparatus.Fig. 3 illustrates a detail. of the gluing apparatus, taken at rightangles to Fig. 2. Fig. 4: illustrates a detail of the box-adjustingdevices.

My machine may be made of such material as desired. I prefer to make itall of metal, the base, standard, and inclined table being preferablyall cast iron. The paste-tank may be of cast iron, but, in order toavoid corrosion, rust, &c., it maypreferably be of copper or brass. Theother parts of the machine will, most of them, be constructed of iron orsteel. As before stated, however, the material forms no essential partof the invention.

A is the base of the machine, adapted to be bolted or otherwise fastenedto the floor.

B is the standard, preferably made integral with the base.

O is the table, which is preferably inclined, as shown. D are standardsor supports on the tables There are preferably three or more of them.

E is the glue pot or tank.

F are uprights upon it, preferably at the sides of the glue-tank, at theupper end of which a cross-shaft G is journaled.

H H are two tubular casings, which encircle springs I I. These springsengage with rods J J, which pass through the tubular casing H andthrough cap-pieces K K, which are bolted to the casings II.

The casings are fastened to the table by flanges L L, which may be castintegral with the table.

M is a cross-bar, which connects the upper ends of the rods J J.

N is an arm clamped by aset-screw O to the upper end of the rod J, whichpasses through the bar or cross-head M. The end of the arm N is bent atright angles, or otherwise arranged so as to connect with a lever P,which is attached to a hub Q, located on a the end of the shaft Gr, andfrom the other side of this hub Q another rod R extends rearwardly.These two rods P and B may be a continuous rod, if preferred, andattached to the end of the shaft Gr in any preferred manner.

S is a spring connected at one end to the extremity of the rod R and atthe other end to an eye T, formed on the glue-tank or other suitablepart.

If is a rod pivoted at V to the rod R, having a piston on its lower end,which works in a dash-pot WV, which is pivoted, as at a, to a suitablesupport.

b b are two rods, which are rigidly fastened to the shaft G at one endand at the other under a cross-bar c, to which the glue-fingers (Z arerigidly attached. These fingers d are made of stiif although resilientwire, and are bent, as at e, sharply upward, and they are also bent attheir very ends f. (See Fig. 2.

g is an adj ustable stop device to limit the ,1

upward swing of the bar a, which carries the pasting-fingers d. Thisstop g is adj ustable by being slotted at one end, as shown, and by aset-screw h, which passes through the slot and enters the side of thegluetank.

2'- z' are lugs on the table 0, which are provided with threadedadjusting-screws j j, which have plates 7.0 on their ends for theadjustment of the flies upon the table, as will be hereinafterexplained.

The front edge of the table is shown in Fig. 4.

L L are the ears or flanges, already mentioned, upon which the casings HH are hung. The front edge of the table in between these flanges is madeas follows: A central projection Z is permanently present thereat, thewidth of which is substantially the same as the width of the smallestbox to which the plate upon its free end.

flies are to be attached. m is a metallic bar, which extendshorizontally through the projecting part Z, upon which sections n n maybe arranged by being passed over the end of the bar m, the sectionsbeing suitably bored to allow them to slip on and move easily along therod m, and they, being shoved up close against the side of the permanentcentral projection I, will, of course, widen it to the extent of theirthickness. 0 is a lever having a footo is a rectangular portion of thislever, and it, as a whole, is pivoted at p p to lugs on the base A orother suitable part of the apparatus. (1 q are two links pivoted to theends of the treadle-bar 0, and at their upper ends they are pivoted toother links '1' T, which are respectively pivoted at s s todownwardly-extending supports it; and at their front ends these links 9'r are pivoted to rods jj, as shown at u u. The blocks or sections n,which slide upon the bar m, are, as shown in Fig. 3, supported againstdisplacement by the edge of the table 0, and also by the set-screws. yis a guide-plate, which curves upwardly and forwardly from the loweredge of the cross-head ill.

As shown in Fig. 2, additional pasting-fingers may be applied to the bar0, as may be desired, to extend the series to coincide with any lengthor width of box.

The operation of the machine is as follows: A pile of flies (shown atXin Fig. 1), is placed upon the table 0, and is properly centered by theadjusting-screws j j, and having the plates k on their ends, in a mannernow well understood. A box is then placed by the operator in themachine, so that its open face is presented toward the machine and withthe side or end upon which the fly is to be pasted close up against theunder side of the cross-head M, and in so placing the box theguide-plate y materially aids, because all the operator has to do is tomove the box toward the machine until the edge engages with theguide-plate y, and then the box, being moved still farther inwardlytoward the paste-tank, will be automatically guided by the plate y untilit slips under the cross-head M, assuming its proper position, and thebox is adjusted crosswise of the machine an d properly centered in thatrelation by the central projection Z from the front of the table, or bythe added sections n n, more or less of them being used as occasionrequires and it will be observed that the front edge of the glue-tankwill prevent the box from moving too far rearwardly. The stop g, whichlimits the upward swinging of the pasting-fingers d, is so adjusted thatthe open ends of these fingers will be separated some distance from theunder side of the cross-head M, so that the edge of the box to which thefly is to be attached will slide in between the upper ends of thesepasting-fingers and the under side of the cross-head.

With the parts in the position just described, the foot is applied tothe treadle,

whereupon, through the instrumentality of the treadle-bars 0 and o andthe links q q" r r and the rods J and J the cross-head will be broughtdown, pressing the box down with it, and in its passage the upper endsof the spring pasting-fingers d come in contact with the inside of thebox near the open edge, and the ends of the fingers apply the pastethereto at frequent spots, and as the crosshead and bars J and J stillfurther descend the arm N comes in contact with the bar P and depressesit, thus rocking the shaft G, and through the instrumentality of the rodR the spring S is put under tension and the dash-pot U is operated. Therocking of the shaft G causes the cross-bar c and the springfingers d tobe swung rearwardly, so that the upper ends of the spring-fingers d areimmersed in the glue or paste. The descending box, after having the glueor paste applied as stated, comes in contact with the uppermost fly inthe pile, and is squeezed down upon that fly by the action of thetreadle. Thereupon the foot-pressure is removed from the pedal, andthrough the instrumentality of the springs I I and the spring S theparts may be returned to their normal elevated position; but thedash-pot WV prevents the spring-fingers d and the parts connected withthem from moving so rapidly as to spatter or throw the adhesive materialabout. The dash-pot may be made to operate with oil, water, or glycerin,or with air alone, if preferred. The operator then turns the box overand goes through the same operations upon the other side or end of thebox, whereby another fly is attached in the same manner as before.

The operation of the machine is exceedingly rapid, and I so adjust themachine that the spring-fingers engage with the sides of the box nearthe edge at such places or points that there will be no adhesivematerial squeezed out upon the other flies in the pile, so that there isnever more than one fly picked up at a time.

It is obvious that the apparatus may be so constructed as to work bypower instead of by hand or foot, and it is equally obvious thatmodifications may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the essence of the invention. I therefore do not limitmyself to such details.

I claim- 1. The combination of a support for the flies, a receptacle foradhesive material, a reciprocating cross-head and devices for applyingthe adhesive material to the box, actuated by the descent of thecross-head, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of a support for the flies, means to adjust the fliesupon the support, a receptacle for adhesive material, a reciprocatingcross-head and devices for applying adhesive material to the box,actuated by the descent of the cross-head, for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination of a support for the flies, a receptacle for adhesivematerial, a reciproeating cross-head, devices for applying the adhesivematerial to the box, actuated by the descent of the cross-head, andmeans to center the box, for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination of a support for the flies means to adjust the fliesupon the said support, a receptacle for adhesive material, areciprocating cross-head, devices for applying the adhesive material tothe box, actuated the descent of the cross-head, and means to center thebox, for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination of a support for the flies a reciprocatingcross-head, devices for applying the adhesive material to the box, andmeans to center it, for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination of a support for the flies, means to adjust the fliesupon the support, a receptacle for adhesive material, placed above theflies, a cross-head adapted to vertical movement, and a rocking framehaving spring-fingers, which upon the descent of the cross-head, dipinto the adhesive material, for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination of a support for the flies, means to adjust the fliesupon the support, a receptacle for adhesive material placed above theflies, a cross-head adapted to vertical movement, a rocking frame havingspringfingers, which upon the descent of the crosshead dip into theadhesive material, and means to control the movement of said rockingframe, for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination of a support for the flies, a receptacle for theadhesive material, a reciprocatin g cross-head, a rocking frame whichsupports spring-fingers, and is provided with means which engage withsome verticallymovable part as it descends, said verticallymovable partitself and means to limit the movement of the spring-fingers toward thebox, for the purposes set forth.

9. The combinationof a support for the flies, a receptacle for theadhesive material, a recipro eating cross-head, a rocking frame whichsupports spring-fingers and is provided with means which engage udthsome verticallymovable part as it descends, said verticallymovable partitself means to limit the movement of the spring-fingers toward the box,

and means to control the rapidity of the movement of the rocking frame,for the purposes set forth.

10. The combination of a support for the flies, a receptacle for theadhesive material, a spring-actuated, reciprocating cross-head, devicesfor applying the adhesive material to the box, and means to limit theforward movement of said devices, for the purposes set forth.

11. The combination of a support for the flies, a receptacle for theadhesive material, a spring-actuated, reciprocating cross-head, devicesfor applying the adhesive material to the box, means to limit theforward movement of said devices, and other means to retard the rapidityof their movement, for the purposes set forth.

12. The combination of a support for the flies, a receptacle for theadhesive material which acts as a stop for the front edges of the box, amovable cross-head for the support of the box, and movable devices forapplying the paste which are actuated by the descent of the cross-head,and a guide upon the crosshead to aid in the adjustment of the box, forthe purposes set forth.

13. The combination of a support for the flies, a receptacle for theadhesive material, which acts as a stop for the front edges of theboxes, a movable cross-head for the support of the box, movable devicesfor applying paste which are actuated by the descent of the cross-head,a guide upon the cross-head, and centering devices upon the support forthe flies, which aid in locating the box, for the purposes set forth.

14. In a fly-applying apparatus, the combination of devices for applyingpaste to the box, and other devices for supporting the box andpressingit againstthe flies, both actuated by a single downward movementof the crosshead, for the purposes set forth.

Signed at Amsterdam, in the county of Montgomery and State of New York,this 17th day of April, A. D. 1896.

HARRY A. INMAN.

\Vitnesses H. B. WALDRON, Rom. N. CLARK.

